Snake of June

Black and white, 35 mm
Japan, 2002, 77 min
Section: Another View

Synopsis

It’s June, a time of traditionally rainy weather in Japan. Rinko is an introverted woman in her thirties who works as a counsellor at the local mental health care centre. Her marriage is not a happy one – her husband Shigehiko is a salesman and besides his common workaholism he also suffers from a morbid compulsion for cleanliness. Not only is he unwilling to share the same bed with his wife but also to touch her. One day Rinko receives an envelope on which is written: “A secret your husband doesn’t know about.” Inside are photographs depicting her in compromising situations. The mysterious sender then calls her: in exchange for the negatives he requires her to fulfil his rather perverse requests. Despite Rinko’s initial forced compliance, she can’t escape the fact that the manipulation turns her on. The sexual blackmailer then expresses his next wish – she is to be examined at the hospital. Rinko discovers something rather unpleasant….

About the director

Shinya Tsukamoto (b. 1960, Tokyo) began shooting 8 mm shorts at age 14, and was interested in theatre at the same time. He graduated from Nihon Daigaku University and then worked for four years directing commercials and commercial movies. In 1989 he won the Grand Prix at the Pia FF for The Adventure of Denchu Kozo (Denchu kozu no boken). Success also came with the black-and-white film The Ironman (Tetsuo, 1989) and Tetsuo II – Body Hammer (1991), about the strange metamorphosis of a Japanese businessman into a heap of metal. The two films have attained near cult status. Tokyo Fist (Tokyo-ken, 1995) and Gemini (Sôseiji, 1999) were screened at Karlovy Vary. Other films: The Phantom of Regular Size (Futsu siazu no kaijin, 1986), Hiruko the Goblin (Yokai Hanta – Hiruko, 1990) and Bullet Ballet (1998).